Wall outlet



B. POOR June 16, 1936.

WALL OUTLET Original Filed Aug. 15, 1953 Patented June 16, 1936 Application August 15,1933, Serial No. 685,263 Renewed April 27, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in wall outlets for fluid lines such as gas and water.

Among the objects of my invention is the provision of an improved Wall outlet for fluid lines such as gas or water or the like; the provision of a wall outlet of the above character having safety features; the provision of a wall outlet for gas orwater lines characterized by an improved connection between the wall pipe and the outlet line associated therewith; the provision of a wall outlet of the above described character which is so designed and operable as to shut off the flow of the fluid upon the outlet line being accidentally disconnected from the wall pipe; the provision of an outlet box for fluid lines incorporating a valve connection between the wall pipe and outlet line, with the valve being readily operable, and so arranged that it may be operated exterior ly of the wall.

Gther objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a section through the wall outlet, with the valve shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section along line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section along line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a detail of the valve operating stem.

In the drawing, the reference character it indicates generally the wall of a room or the like having a base board H. The wall and base board are recessed to receive an outlet box IE which may be circular as illustrated, having its bottom or rear wall apertured as at iii. A wall pipe l4 supplying water, gas or other fluid extends through aperture l3 within box l2, its end being threaded to receive an interiorly and exteriorly threaded adapter nipple l5. A fitting generally designated at l8 and consisting of an outer circular wall I1, and end wall l8, and an inner circular wall 26, the latter being hereinafter referred to as a cage, is adapted for connection with the end of supply pipe l4, the end wall l8 being apertured and threaded to screw on to adapter nipple H3. The fitting I6 is provided with ears 2i through which extend screws 22 whereby the fitting may also be secured to the wall box l2.

The cylindrical cage 29, being open at one end, is in communication with supply pipe i l. The other end 25 of said cage is constituted by a plate or flange apertured as at 26 to provide an outlet therethrough. Said outlet 26 is defined by a circular upstanding lip 21 forming a seat for a valve disc 28, the said disc being normally pressed into seating engagement with seat 21 by a spring 29 disposed about a stud or pin 36 on a strap (or spider). 3! extending diametrically across the open mouth of pipe l4 and preferably riveted or otherwise secured to adapter nipple l 5.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that circular wall l! is of substantially greater depth than the depth of cage 28 and extends well forwardly into outlet box it. Between the inner wall of the cylindrical portion ll of the fitting and the outer wall of the cage, there is thus formed an annular space into which extends the reduced end of a plug 32, the said plug being interiorlybored, with the bore extending in axial alignment with the end of supply pipe M and cage The end of plug 32 seats against a packing ring 33 of rubber or the like, with the plug being held in such seating relation by means of screws 35 threaded into the end of the cylindrioal wall ll of the fitting l6, under which screws extend slotted ears 35 projecting radially from the plug 32 at substantially its mid portion. By adjusting screws 35, plug 32 may be moved in a left-hand direction, Fig. 1, to seat tightly against ring or gland 33 to thus prevent leakage of the fluid past the joint so formed.

Associated with plug 32 is an outlet hose 38 which in the construction illustrated is provided with end flange 60 abutting the end of plug 32, the hose being secured to the seat plug by screws dl or equivalent securing means, with a packing ring as seating in mating grooves formed in plug 32 and flange 40, respectively, thereby to prevent leakage.

As hereinbefore stated, valve 28 is held normally seated against circular lip 21 by action of spring 29. In order to actuate the valve 28 out of such seating relation and thereby establish communication between supply pipe i l and outlet line 32, 38, I provide means for positively actuating said valve 28 away from its seat Zl, such means being preferably carried bodily by plug 32. Said means may comprise an actuable stem 42 arranged axially in plug 32 and centered therein by a strap (or spider) 43 provided with an aperture through which stem L 2 passes. Stem 42 at its outer end carries a circular strap 44 disposed over an eccentric 45 on a shaft 46, the said shaft extending through the joint between plug 32 and flange 40, and being provided at one end with an operating handle Al and at its other end with a securing nut 38. Cam 45 is so related to stem 62 that a half revolution of shaft 46 causes stem 52 to be projected to the left, Fig. 1. 55

The end of stem 42 is adapted to bear against disc 28 and during such leftwise movement, stem 62 unseats valve 28 against action of spring 29, the valve being maintained unseated so long as shaft 46, through its handle 41, is so turned.

Operation of handle 41 throughout a half revolution in the opposite direction causes stem 42 to be actuated in the reverse direction, permitting valve 28 to again seat.

In the construction illustrated, it is intended that the connection between plug 32 and fitting l6 be detachable. parts is made by inserting the plug in the annu lar space between circular wall I! and cage 20 of the fitting l6 and thereafter turning the fitting to thread ears 36 under the heads of screws 35. It will be understood that other forms of detachable connections between the outlet line, as represented by plug 32, and the fitting 5 may be substituted.

A salient feature of the present invention resides in the fact that valve 28 is normally closed by action of spring 29, thus to interrupt communication between supply pipe I 4 and outlet line 32, 38 until handle 41 has been positively actuated. If plug 32 accidentally becomes disconnected from fitting l6, valve 28 will automatically close, due to action of spring 29 pushing stem 42 and consequently fitting 32 to the right. Further, handle 41. is disposed exteriorly of outlet box 12, thus making the handle readily accessible for actuation and overcoming the disadvantages of conventional constructions in which the valve handle was enclosed within an outlet box and requiring that the hand be inserted through the relatively small opening in the box to operate the valve.

Although, in the construction illustrated, plug 32 is made separate from outlet hose 38, it will be understood that the plug may be formed integrally on the hose, and that different forms of connection between the plug and hose, when made separate, may be substituted.

Thus connection between said- The open front of wall box l2 may be substantially closed by a plate 50 secured as by screws 5| to a flange 52 formed around the open mouth of the box, with the closure plate being suitably apertured to provide for entrance of the plug 32 for connection with the fitting l6.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that from the standpoint of the prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claim.

I claim:

The combination of a supply pipe, a fitting operatively attached thereto, the fitting including inner and outer cylindrical walls providing an annular space and an end wall extending between said cylindrical walls, a packing ring disposed in said space and located against said end wall, the inner cylindrical wall constituting a valve cage communicating at one end with the pipe and having at its other end an inwardly extending flange forming a valve seat, a valve in said cage, means normally urging said valve against said seat, and a longitudinally bored connecting plug having one end adapted for connection to an outlet line and the other end extending into the annular space between said cylindrical walls, means disposed intermediate the ends of said plug and at the end of the outer cylindrical wall, respectively, for detachably securing the plug to the fitting in such manner that said other end of the plug extends into said annular space a sufiicient distance as to seat in leak-tight relation against the packing ring, and means carried by said plug for unseating the valve.

BERNARD T. POOR. 

